
3. Australian War Memorial
Location: Treloar Cres, Canberra
If there’s a singular word to describe our #1 entry on this list, “humbling” would likely be it. The Australian War Memorial is one of the most significant buildings in Australia that serves as some combination of attraction, museum, archive and tribute all rolled into one, and its size and contents combine to make it an experience that can be as harrowing as it is informative and enjoyable.
Fittingly located at the bottom of ANZAC Parade, it’s simply a must for every Australian citizen to visit once in their lives, and serves as a fitting memorial to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our country.
The Memorial features a staggering array of moving displays depicting conflicts dating to Australia’s colonial period way back in 1788 and covering the likes of World War 1 and 2, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and more modern conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan as well as more general overviews of military history and way of life.
Each war is covered in painstakingly elaborate detail, with stories, weaponry, photos and videos documenting the trials and tribulations of all involved. There are even military vehicles ranging from light aircraft to cannons which can be found in various sections of the memorial and which help add even more of a touch of realism to the proceedings.
Scale maps show geographical layouts of where conflicts occurred and where significant battles and events took place, with the World War I Gallipoli feature being a particular highlight.
Perhaps the most unintentionally impact feature of the memorial is the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier located in the memorial's mosaic-lined and stained glass featured Hall of Memory that represents all of the nameless heroes in each branch of the armed services who have lost their lives in wars throughout the world- and one does not need to be a religious person to feel such an atmosphere here.
"Each war is covered in painstakingly elaborate detail, with stories, weaponry, photos and videos documenting the trials and tribulations of all involved at the Australian War Memorial. The poppy wall is the most moving monument of all.
The building itself is likewise impressive, with its large, stone construction feeling larger in scale that it probably truly is, while also providing a great outlook over Canberra to Old Parliament House and beyond.
At such a serious facility, it also may seem that bringing kids along may be an unspoken no-no, however the memorial has its own dedicated Kids Discovery Zone that aims to educate them to some degree about the war while also allowing them to clamber on and sit in the likes of a Vietnam War-era helicopter, a World War 1 style trench, and even a small submarine!
While some may find the experience of visiting the Australian War Memorial inherently solemn and even depressing, its pure meaningfulness can’t be denied - and there’s simply so much here to keep the senses occupied and brain interested for all ages that there’s a good reason it ranks at the pointy end of our list of the top things to do in Canberra.